AAP consists of a collection of innovative programs serving approximately 5,600 student members from multi-ethnic, low-income, first generation, and multiracial backgrounds.

AAP was created in 1971 out of the consolidation of UCLA’s Educational Opportunity (EOP) Program and High Potential Program (HPP), two early efforts to widen access for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Approximately 83.5% of AAP students are from historically underrepresented backgrounds (Hispanic/Latino, African American, and Native American).

Approximately 80% of AAP students are the first in their family to attend college.

Approximately 27% of the undergraduate student population are AAP members.

AAP graduates the highest percentage of historically underrepresented students in the UC system, the California State University system, and among major public research universities in the country.

Approximately 91% of AAP students said that participation in AAP increased their sense of belonging to the larger UCLA academic community. AAP helps students understand the challenges and opportunities of becoming competitive for graduate and professional opportunities through mentoring programs provided by student leaders and peer counselors.

AAP has been recognized as one of the “most creative, successful, and innovative” student retention program in the country.

Outreach, Yield and Summer Programs

AAP hosts annual welcome days, known as “Bruin Day” that invite over 800 high school admits and “AAP Scholars Day” for over 500 community college admits.

Over 80% of admitted students who attend AAP welcome day events matriculate to UCLA in the Fall.

AAP welcome day events have been extremely successful in recruiting African American and Latino admits.

AAP host summer transition programs for up to 450 entering Freshmen and Transfer students—mostly from underrepresented, low-income, immigrant and first generation populations.

Approximately 55% of Freshmen Summer Program (FSP) and Transfer Summer Program (TSP) students become eligible to join the College Honors Program after completing the program.

AAP Counseling

There are eight (8) Counselors in AAP who assist students with their academic programs, monitor their academic progress, and provide information about requirements and prerequisites for the different majors at UCLA.

AAP Counselors have approximately 17,000 encounters with AAP students annually.

AAP employs 13 undergraduate student Peer Counselors who work closely with entering freshmen and transfer students to facilitate their transition to the university.

Peer Learning

AAP offers Peer Learning in over 80 courses each quarter across almost all academic disciplines.

More than 900 AAP members take advantage of Peer Learning services each quarter. Peer Learning helps students build critical thinking and intellectual independence through questioning and dialogue.

Conducted in small group sessions, Peer Learning fosters an environment that encourages discussion and allows students to articulate new and different perspectives.

Approximately 91% of AAP members said Peer Learning had an important and very positive impact on their academic confidence and effectiveness.

Peer Learning Facilitators (PLFs) are current UCLA students who have been trained to effectively lead Peer Learning sessions. Many PLFs are AAP members who were once students in Peer Learning session themselves!

AAP employs over 90 PLFs each year; most have received academic recognition and gone on to attend some of the top graduate and professional schools in the nation.

PLFs have reported that their service in this role has had a positive effect on their academic confidence, competence, and their knowledge of the subject for which they facilitated sessions.

AAP Graduate Mentoring and Research and McNair Research Scholars Programs

AAP’s Graduate Mentoring and Research Programs unit (GMRP) offers myriad opportunities for AAP members to explore graduate and professional studies with a current graduate student at UCLA.

GMRP employs 15 Graduate Mentors from a variety of UCLA graduate programs to advise AAP undergraduate students about research and how to apply to graduate or professional schools. There are also specific Graduate Mentors for students who are interested in Law and in Pre-Health/Sciences.

Graduate Mentors provide one-on-one mentoring appointments; quarterly workshops; and coordinate multi-quarter cohort programs designed to increase and prepare AAP members for graduate and professional school admission.

GMRP offers seven unique cohort programs that engage AAP members to develop their research acumen in the humanities and social sciences. Those programs are Research Rookies; High Aims; Educators for Tomorrow (EFT); Arts Initiative (ARTS IN); Community Development and Social Justice Scholars (CDSJ); UnDocuBruins Research Program: and McNair Research Scholars.

The McNair Research Scholars program prepares AAP members to pursue Ph.D.’s in the humanities or social sciences. McNair Scholars have successfully enrolled in some of the country’s top graduate schools including Harvard, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, University of Chicago, and John Hopkins.

Each year, 14 AAP members with junior standing are selected as McNair Research Scholars. As part of the rigorous two-year McNair program, students conduct an original research project under the guidance of McNair graduate student and faculty mentors and present at various research conferences throughout the state and nation.

McNair Scholars have been recipient of such prestigious awards as the Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship and the American Political Science Association Fellowship.

AAP members who were students in GMRP cohort programs have consistently been awarded Dean’s Prizes in recognition of quality research at the annual Powell Poster Day.

Center for Community College Partnerships

The Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP) develops and strengthens academic partnerships between UCLA and California community college to increase the diversity of the transfer applicant pool.

CCCP works closely with UCLA’s K-12 Outreach Programs, UCLA’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools, and the AAP’s Transfer Student Center to assist transfer students through all stages of University life.

CCCP serves more than 3,900 students annually who are from ethnically/racially diverse backgrounds.

CCCP is responsible for a series of summer programs which seek to inspire and motivate first generation, low income, and underrepresented community college students to transfer to UCLA. Summer program students are introduced to the rigors of university life and provided with information that will assist them with successfully transferring to the university.

CCCP currently works with nineteen community colleges in Los Angeles County.

CCCP collaborates with the other UC’s to disseminate financial aid information to prospective UC transfer at ten community colleges in the greater Los Angeles area.